Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide Microsoft Corporation
Published: April 2011
This content is preliminary and is subject to change.
Microsoft Dynamics AX
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 2
Table of Contents
Copyright notice ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Prerequisite skills and knowledge ................................................................................................................. 4
Implementation planning guide .................................................................................................................... 6
Architecture and planning ............................................................................................................................. 6
Microsoft Dynamics AX architecture .......................................................................................................... 6
System architecture ................................................................................................................................ 6
Security architecture ............................................................................................................................. 11
Component architecture ....................................................................................................................... 12
Database components ...................................................................................................................... 14
Model store architecture ................................................................................................................ 15
Server components ........................................................................................................................... 17
Help system architecture ............................................................................................................... 17
Enterprise Portal architecture ......................................................................................................... 18
AOS architecture ............................................................................................................................ 21
Workflow system architecture........................................................................................................ 23
Reporting architecture ...................................................................................................................... 26
Analytics architecture ........................................................................................................................ 27
Client architecture ............................................................................................................................. 28
Services and AIF architecture ............................................................................................................ 30
.NET Business Connector architecture ............................................................................................... 31
Project Server integration architecture .............................................................................................. 33
Development environment ................................................................................................................... 33
Application integration ......................................................................................................................... 34
Plan an implementation ........................................................................................................................... 36
Implementation methodology .............................................................................................................. 36
Hardware and software requirements .................................................................................................. 38
Planning hardware infrastructure.......................................................................................................... 38
Install Microsoft Dynamics AX ..................................................................................................................... 40
Upgrade ....................................................................................................................................................... 40
Microsoft Dynamics AX
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 3
Copyright notice
Microsoft Dynamics is a line of integrated, adaptable business management solutions that enables you
and your people to make business decisions with greater confidence. Microsoft Dynamics works like and
with familiar Microsoft software, automating and streamlining financial, customer relationship and supply
chain processes in a way that helps you drive business success.
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Worldwide +1-701-281-6500
www.microsoft.com/dynamics
This document supports a preliminary release of a software product that may be changed substantially
prior to final commercial release, and is the confidential and proprietary information of Microsoft
Corporation. It is disclosed pursuant to a non-disclosure agreement between the recipient and Microsoft.
This document is provided “as-is”. Information and views expressed in this document, including URL and
other Internet Web site references, may change without notice. You bear the risk of using it.
Some examples depicted herein are provided for illustration only and are fictitious. No real association or
connection is intended or should be inferred.
This document does not provide you with any legal rights to any intellectual property in any Microsoft
product. You may copy and use this document for your internal, reference purposes.
Copyright © 2011 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Microsoft, Microsoft Dynamics, Active Directory, BizTalk, Excel, MSDN, .NET logo, Outlook, SharePoint,
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Other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Microsoft Dynamics AX
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 4
Prerequisite skills and knowledge
Microsoft Dynamics® AX is built upon several other Microsoft® products and technologies. You will
require advanced information technology skills and knowledge to implement the Microsoft Dynamics AX
application in a way that takes full advantage of this technology platform.
Prerequisites for system administrators System administrators preparing to deploy Microsoft Dynamics AX should be familiar with general
industry practices regarding reliability, scalability, availability, performance optimization, security, and
monitoring of network infrastructure and applications. Installation of the base Microsoft Dynamics AX
components, including the Application Object Server (AOS), database server, model store (previously
known as the application file server), and the Microsoft Dynamics AX client, requires an understanding of
the following Microsoft technologies:
The Windows Server® operating system that is used to deploy the Microsoft Dynamics AX server
components
The Windows® client operating system that is used to deploy the Microsoft Dynamics AX
Windows client
Microsoft .NET Framework
Windows Server Terminal Services, if required
Advanced network management in an Active Directory® directory service environment
The following table describes necessary skills and knowledge required to deploy particular components of
a Microsoft Dynamics AX implementation.
Microsoft Dynamics AX component Skills and knowledge required
Database server Microsoft SQL Server™ administration
Relational database infrastructure planning,
including sizing the database infrastructure
Performance optimization and monitoring of a
database server
Database backup and recovery
Reporting and analytics Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services
Internet Information Services (IIS), Web sites, virtual
directories, application pools, and Web services
administration
Microsoft .NET Framework 4, ASP.NET
Microsoft Dynamics AX
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 5
Microsoft Dynamics AX component Skills and knowledge required
Enterprise Portal Internet Information Services (IIS) administration
Microsoft SharePoint® Foundation 2010
administration or Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010
administration, depending upon the production
version used
Microsoft .NET Framework 4, ASP.NET
Creating and managing Web sites, Web services,
virtual directories, and application pools
Services and Application Integration Framework (AIF) Internet Information Services (IIS) administration, if
Web services are deployed
Microsoft BizTalk® Server, if you must integrate
Microsoft BizTalk Server with Microsoft Dynamics AX
Microsoft .NET Framework, especially Windows
Communication Foundation
Integration concepts such as enterprise application
integration (EAI), business-to-business (B2B), and
synchronous and asynchronous transports
Creating and managing Web sites, Web services,
virtual directories, and application pools, if you
deploy Web services
Microsoft .NET Framework 4, ASP.NET
Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ), if used
Workflow Microsoft .NET Framework, especially Windows
Workflow Foundation
Internet Information Services (IIS) administration
(required during upgrade from the previous release)
Project Server integration functionality Deploying and managing Windows services
Microsoft Message Queuing
Microsoft Project Server administration
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 6
Implementation planning guide
Welcome to the Microsoft Dynamics AX Implementation Planning Guide. The Implementation Planning
Guide provides prescriptive guidance to system architects, consultants, and IT professionals involved with
planning a Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 implementation. The newest version of this guide is available
from the Microsoft Download Center. You can see the TechNet Library website for up-to-date information
about administration of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. For information about other documentation that is
available, see the Documentation Resources white paper.
Architecture and planning
When you understand the architecture of Microsoft Dynamics AX, you can better plan, customize, and
deploy, the Microsoft Dynamics AX system. The topics in this section provide an overview of the Microsoft
Dynamics AX system and its base components.
Microsoft Dynamics AX architecture Understanding the architecture of Microsoft Dynamics AX will help you plan, customize, and deploy the
Microsoft Dynamics AX system. The topics in this section provide an overview of the Microsoft
Dynamics AX system and its associated components.
System architecture
Understanding the internal architecture of Microsoft Dynamics AX can help you make decisions when
planning, customizing, and deploying a system. This topic provides a high-level overview of the system
architecture of Microsoft Dynamics AX.
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 7
Microsoft Dynamics AX system architecture
The following diagram provides a high-level overview of Microsoft Dynamics AX system architecture. This
diagram does not depict the system topology or physical infrastructure required for the deployment. Your
infrastructure can consist of many Microsoft Dynamics AX components on a single physical server or on
multiple physical servers. For details about Microsoft Dynamics AX components, see Component
architecture. For up-to-date hardware and software requirements for Microsoft Dynamics AX, see the
system requirement d.
Authentication and authorization
Microsoft Dynamics AX uses integrated Windows authentication to authenticate Active Directory users. If
you configure Microsoft Dynamics AX to use a different authentication provider, users are authenticated
by that provider. Authorization of access to data, business functionality, and presentation elements (forms,
menus, fields and reports) is governed by Microsoft Dynamics AX security. Anonymous Web users can
access the Enterprise Portal with limited functionality.
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 8
Presentation tier (clients and external applications)
A client provides an interface to Microsoft Dynamics AX data and functionality. An external application
integrates with Microsoft Dynamics AX to programmatically integrate functionality or exchange data.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Windows client is a native 32-bit program that provides a rich user
interface.
Supported Web browsers give access to Microsoft Dynamics AX functionality and data through
the Enterprise Portal.
External applications interact with Microsoft Dynamics AX via services and the Application
Integration Framework (AIF). Service and AIF provide an extensible framework for XML-based
enterprise application integration (EAI), business-to-business (B2B), and service-oriented
architecture (SOA) scenarios.
Use services and AIF to interact with the Microsoft Dynamics AX application. We recommend
against using the .NET Business Connector to integrate with the Microsoft Dynamics AX
application.
Application tier
The application tier consists of one or more of the following Microsoft Dynamics AX components or
computer roles.
Windows Active Directory domain controller
Microsoft Dynamics AX uses integrated Windows authentication to authenticate Active Directory users. If
you configure Microsoft Dynamics AX to use a different authentication provider, users are authenticated
by that provider.
An Active Directory domain controller is a prerequisite for installing Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Application Object Server
The Application Object Server (AOS) controls communication among Microsoft Dynamics AX clients,
databases, and applications. In this release, the AOS also hosts the Microsoft Dynamics AX services and
workflow. You can deploy the AOS on a single computer or create a load-balanced cluster of multiple
AOS servers. The AOS is a Windows service and requires a Windows Server operating system. For up-to-
date hardware and software requirements for Microsoft Dynamics AX, download the system requirements
document from the Microsoft Download Center.
The AOS uses many libraries from .NET Framework 4, such as the Windows Communication Foundation
and Windows Workflow Foundation.
Enterprise Portal
The Enterprise Portal and its applications allow you to interact with Microsoft Dynamics AX from a Web
browser. The Enterprise Portal enables internal users (employees) and external users (vendors, customers,
business partners) to access data and functionality through a highly customizable, role-based Web portal.
You can also create Internet facing public sites with limited functionality for anonymous users. The
Note:
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 9
Enterprise Portal requires ASP.NET, Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 or Microsoft SharePoint Server
2010, and Internet Information Services (IIS).
Reporting
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is a solution that enables users to create and view traditional,
paper-based reports, as well as interactive, Web-based reports.
To integrate Microsoft Dynamics AX and Reporting Services, you must install the reporting extensions on
a server running Reporting Services.
After you install the reporting extensions, you will be able to deploy Microsoft Dynamics AX default
reports to Reporting Services.
Analytics
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services is a server-based solution that provides online analytical
processing (OLAP) functionality. OLAP reports help users analyze business data and identify trends that
they might not otherwise discover when viewing data in traditional reports.
To integrate Microsoft Dynamics AX and Analysis Services, you must install the analysis extensions on a
server running Analysis Services.
When you install the analysis extensions, a default OLAP database and cubes are deployed to Analysis
Services.
Workflow
Microsoft Dynamics AX supports workflow processes, such as approval of purchase requisitions, within the
application. Microsoft Dynamics AX uses the Windows Workflow Foundation to support workflow on the
Application Object Server (AOS). The Microsoft Dynamics AX workflow component is automatically
installed on the AOS and the Microsoft Dynamics AX Windows client computers during installation.
Services and Application Integration Framework (AIF)
Microsoft Dynamics AX provides a first-class programming model for integration. Services enable
Microsoft Dynamics AX to expose its functionality by means of Windows Communication Foundation-
based services. AIF supports the processing of inbound and outbound messages such as message
transforms and value lookups. Together, services and Application Integration Framework (AIF) provide the
programming model, tools and infrastructure support for XML-based integration of application
functionality and data with Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Help server
The Microsoft Dynamics AX help system uses a server to store and distribute Help documentation. The
help viewer is a client application that displays help information. You open the help viewer when you
press F1 or follow a help menu option to display application help topics.
Microsoft Project Server integration
The Microsoft Dynamics AX integration with Project Server requires two integration components, the
synchronization service for Microsoft Project Server and synchronization proxy for Microsoft Project
Server. To use this functionality, you must install both the components. For more information about
Project Server integration, see Project Server integration architecture.
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Data tier
Microsoft Dynamics AX requires Microsoft SQL Server for the Microsoft Dynamics AX database, the model
store database, SharePoint databases, and SQL Server Reporting Services database. Support for OLAP
cubes requires a SQL Server Analysis Services database.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX database
The database is a SQL Server database containing transaction and reference data. This database is
functionally equivalent to the principal database in Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 and 2009.
The model store
The model store is a SQL Server database where all Microsoft Dynamics AX application elements are
stored, including customizations. Layer and model information are integral parts of the store. The
Application Object Server (AOS) has access to the model store, handles layer-flattening, and provides
model data to all the Microsoft Dynamics AX sub-systems, such as form- and report-rendering and X++
code. The model store replaces the AOD files used in previous versions of Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Other databases
The Enterprise Portal requires SharePoint content and configuration databases. SQL Server report server
requires a SQL Server Reporting Services database. Support for OLAP cubes requires a SQL Server Analysis
Services database.
See Also
Application integration
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 11
Security architecture
Understanding the security architecture of Microsoft Dynamics AX can help you customize security to fit
your business needs. The following diagram provides a high-level overview of Microsoft Dynamics AX
security architecture.
Authentication
By default, only authenticated users who have rights in Microsoft Dynamics AX can establish a connection.
Microsoft Dynamics AX uses integrated Windows authentication to authenticate Active Directory users. If
you configure Microsoft Dynamics AX to use a different authentication provider, users are authenticated
by that provider.
After a user connects to Microsoft Dynamics AX, access is determined by the duties and privileges
assigned to the security roles that the user belongs to.
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Authorization
Authorization is the control of access to the Microsoft Dynamics AX application. Security permissions are
used to control access to individual application elements: menus, menu items, action and command
buttons, reports, service operations, Web URL menu items, Web controls, and fields in the Windows client
and Enterprise Portal.
In Microsoft Dynamics AX, individual security permissions are combined into privileges, and privileges are
combined into duties. The administrator grants application access to security roles by assigning duties
and privileges to the roles.
Data security
Authorization is used to grant access to elements of the application. In contrast, data security is used to
deny access to tables, fields, and rows in the database.
Use the extensible data security framework to control access to transactional data by assigning data
security policies to security roles. Data security policies can restrict data based on effective date or based
on user data such as sales territory or organization.
In addition to the extensible data security framework, the record-level security feature can be used to limit
access to data based on a query. However, because the record-level security feature will be deprecated in
a future release of Microsoft Dynamics AX, we recommend using data security policies instead.
Some data is additionally protected by the Table Permissions Framework. Data security for specified tables
is enforced by the AOS. Data is not sent to the client if the user does not have access to that data. For
more information about the Table Permissions Framework, see the Microsoft Dynamics AX Security
Hardening Guide.
Component architecture
This section lists Microsoft Dynamics AX components by functional category. The topics in this section
describe the Microsoft Dynamics AX development environment and the architecture of selected
components.
Database components
Database components include the Microsoft Dynamics AX database, which contains business transaction
data, and the model store, which contains application elements of Microsoft Dynamics AX.
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Server components
Server components include the Application Object Server (AOS) and the Microsoft Dynamics AX
components that run on the AOS or on Internet Information Services (IIS). Server components include the
following:
Application Object Sever (AOS)
Services (hosted on the AOS)
Workflow (hosted on the AOS)
Enterprise Portal (hosted on IIS)
Enterprise Search (hosted on IIS)
Help server (hosted on IIS)
Business intelligence components
Business intelligence components provide reporting and analytical functionality that enables you to view
and interpret business data. The reporting extensions enable you to create reports using Microsoft SQL
Server Reporting Services. Integration with SQL Server Analysis Services enables you to use cubes for
business intelligence and analytical reporting in Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Client components
Client components give users access to Microsoft Dynamics AX data and functionality. Client components
include the following:
Microsoft Dynamics AX Windows client
Microsoft Office Add-ins
Development components
Development components are tools you can use to carry out software development tasks. The integrated
development environment (IDE) in Microsoft Dynamics AX is called MorphX. It includes tools for
designing, editing, compiling, and debugging code in Microsoft Dynamics AX. In addition to MorphX, the
Microsoft Dynamics AX development environment includes the Microsoft Visual Studio® tools and
debugger. You can use the Visual Studio tools to create customizations or extensions to Enterprise Portal
and create advanced production reports for Microsoft Dynamics AX using SQL Server Reporting Services.
Integration components
Integration components enable Microsoft Dynamics AX to integrate with external applications. The
following list describes the integration components:
.NET Interop
.NET Business Connector
Web services hosted on IIS
Synchronization service for Microsoft Project Server
Synchronization proxy for Microsoft Project Server
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Database components
Microsoft Dynamics AX relies on a single Microsoft SQL Server database. During upgrade, an additional
database, the baseline model store is used. This topic provides an overview of the databases, and the types
of tables they store.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX database contains two primary types of tables:
Tables that can be accessed from the data dictionary in the AOT.
Tables that can be accessed from the system documentation section of the AOT: kernel and
model store tables.
The baseline model store database holds model store tables for the previous version of metadata. It used
only during upgrade. The baseline model store is similar to the old folder in previous releases of Microsoft
Dynamics AX.
Tables that can be accessed from the data dictionary
The types of tables that can be accessed from the data dictionary in the AOT include:
Framework. This table group includes tables that are used by underlying Microsoft Dynamics AX
frameworks, such as the Application Integration Framework. These tables are created during
installation, and are not associated with configuration keys.
Group. This table group includes tables that are used to categorize the tables in the Main table
group.
Main. This table group includes the principal or master tables that contain data for central
business objects. These tables typically hold static, base information.
Miscellaneous. This table group includes tables that have not been otherwise categorized. This is
the default table group for a new table.
Parameter. This table group includes tables that contain parameters or setup information for
tables in the Main table group.
Reference. This table group includes tables that contain reference data.
Transaction, Transaction header, Transaction line. These table groups include tables that
contain transaction data. Transaction header tables categorize the tables in the Transaction line
table group. There is a one-to-many relationship between a Transaction header table and a
Transaction line table.
Worksheet, Worksheet header, Worksheet line. These table groups include tables that contain
information to be validated and made into transactions. Unlike the data contained in tables in the
Transaction table groups, data in the Worksheet table groups is temporary. After data from
these tables has been rolled forward into transaction tables, the Worksheet tables become
obsolete, and may be deleted without affecting system stability.
Tables that can be access from system documentation
Kernel tables and model store tables are visible in the AOT in the System Documentation > Tables
section. They cannot be directly imported, exported, or changed.
Kernel tables
Kernel tables are used by Microsoft Dynamics AX. They are not associated with table groups.
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Model store
The model store is the portion of the Microsoft Dynamics AX database where all Microsoft Dynamics AX
application elements are stored, including customizations. The model store replaces the AOD files used in
previous releases of Microsoft Dynamics AX. For more information, see Model store architecture.
The model store can be managed through the AXUtil command line utility, or by using Windows
PowerShell®. Within Microsoft Dynamics AX, the model store tables are visible in the in the System
Documentation > Tables > SysModel* section of the AOT.
Model store architecture
This topic describes the architecture of the model store.
The model store is the portion of the Microsoft Dynamics AX database where all Microsoft Dynamics AX
application elements are stored, including customizations. The model store replaces the AOD files used in
previous releases of Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Layer and model information are integral parts of the store. The Application Object Server (AOS) has
access to the model store, handles layer-flattening, and provides model data to all the Microsoft
Dynamics AX sub-systems, such as form- and report-rendering and X++ code.
Microsoft Dynamics AX contains sixteen layers. Each layer consists of one or more logical parts called
models. A system generated model exists for each layer. For example, the VAR Model is the system
generated model for the VAR layer. The system generated models allow you to install and start working
with the base Microsoft Dynamics AX system. You can leverage the capabilities of models, and tools and
functionality that support the models, during customization of the Microsoft Dynamics AX application. For
more information about models and layers, see:
Model file overview
Application Object Layers
The following list describes the different ways the model store is used by Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Installation. During installation, the Setup program uses axutillib.dll to import the .axmodel files
from the installation path into the model store.
Upgrade. During an upgrade, the application (AOD) files from the previous release are imported
into the model store (the new model) and into the baseline model store (the model store for the
previous version of metadata). The baseline model store is similar to the old folder in previous
releases of Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Development environment. In the development environment, developers can continue to use
.xpo files to export and import their code. Use .axmodel files to migrate application elements from
one environment to another, for example, from a development environment to a test
environment. Export models from the source system to .axmodel files and then impor t.axmodel
files into the target system.
Runtime. To respond to client requests, the Application Object Server (AOS) retrieves the
application elements, such as forms, reports, and classes, from the model store at runtime.
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 16
The following diagram provides an overview of the model store architecture.
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 17
Server components
The topics in this section provide an overview of the Microsoft Dynamics AX server components. The
server components include the Application Object Server (AOS) and those components that are either
hosted on the AOS or on Internet Information Services (IIS).
Help system architecture
The following diagram illustrates the architecture of the Microsoft Dynamics AX help system.
To better understand how the components in this diagram work together, consider the following
example.
1. An employee clicks the Help menu or presses F1 when viewing a form in Microsoft Dynamics AX.
2. The Microsoft Dynamics AX client determines which help topic should be displayed. It requests that
specific topic from the help server.
3. The help server locates the help topic and determines if there are any labels to define for that topic. If
so, the help server requests the definitions of the labels from the Microsoft Dynamics AX Application
Object Server (AOS).
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 18
For example, suppose a help topic contains the label @SYS11904. The help sever will request the
definition of this label from the AOS. After the AOS returns the definition, Customer group, the help
server replaces all instances of @SYS11904 with Customer group.
4. The help server sends the help topic to the client, where it is displayed in the help viewer.
Enterprise Portal architecture
This topic introduces concepts that pertain to the architecture of Enterprise Portal for Microsoft Dynamics
AX. The topic also describes the various components of the Enterprise Portal architecture.
About Enterprise Portal
Microsoft Dynamics AX provides a set of Web sites that give you access to data. On these sites, you can
also participate in business processes by using Web-based forms. These sites are collectively called
Enterprise Portal. Enterprise Portal requires Internet Information Services (IIS), which is a feature of
Windows Server, and either MicrosoftSharePoint Foundation 2010 or MicrosoftSharePoint Server 2010.
Role Centers
Enterprise Portal can be configured to display role-specific home pages that are called Role Centers. Role
Centers provide an overview of information that pertains to a user's job function in the business or
organization. This information includes transaction data, alerts, links, and common tasks that are
associated with the user's role in the company. Role Centers also include reports that are generated by
SQL ServerReporting Services or SQL ServerAnalysis Services. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 includes more
than two dozen predefined Role Centers, which users can access from Enterprise Portal or the Microsoft
Dynamics AX client.
Sites and pages
An Enterprise Portal site consists of a root SharePoint 2010 products site and collections of subsites. The
subsites approximate the features and functionality of the modules in the Microsoft Dynamics AX client.
An Enterprise Portal page can include standard Microsoft Dynamics AX Web parts, such as the toolbar, or
User Control Web parts that display Microsoft Dynamics AX data. An Enterprise Portal page can also
include standard SharePoint 2010 products Web parts, such as lists, announcements, and discussions.
Users can modify these Web parts as needed. If you set up and configure Enterprise Portal with Role
Centers, Role Center pages can include the following elements:
Cues that provide a visual representation of records based on the status of the records. For
example, there can be cues for pending sales orders or items that are on backorder.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) that provide information from predefined data cubes. You can
use this information to monitor business performance against a defined goal.
A Report Web part that provides access to SQL ServerReporting Services reports.
A Business Overview Web part that displays historical performance, such as year-over-year
performance or month-over-month performance.
A work list that displays action items that are generated either by a workflow or by an alert,
according to business needs.
Community links that provide access to items that are published on community sites for Finance,
Services, and Sales and Marketing.
Links that provide access to important internal and external sites.
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Customizing Enterprise Portal
Enterprise Portal is built on ASP.NET. All Enterprise Portal objects are located in the Web node of the
Application Object Tree (AOT).
Microsoft Dynamics AX includes a standard Web part that can host a User Control. Developers can write
or modify User Controls in MicrosoftVisual Studio. User Controls are used to present Microsoft
Dynamics AX content on a page, and they are the primary way to add new functionality to Enterprise
Portal.
Users and communication
In Microsoft Dynamics AX, Enterprise Portal users, or Web users, can be any of the following individuals:
Employees who access Microsoft Dynamics AX through an intranet or an extranet
Customer or vendors who access Microsoft Dynamics AX through an extranet
Unsolicited vendors who want to sign up to be vendors, and who access Microsoft Dynamics AX
through a public Internet site
All Web users access Microsoft Dynamics AX through Enterprise Portal.
Note the following information about Enterprise Portal client connections and communications:
All browser-based clients and Microsoft Dynamics AX clients access Role Centers through
Enterprise Portal. Microsoft Dynamics AX clients use a browser control to display Role Centers.
Enterprise Portal uses the Report Web part to display reports that exist on the SQL
ServerReporting Services server.
Enterprise Portal uses ASP.NET user controls and the Enterprise Portal framework to display
Microsoft Dynamics AX data and reports.
Enterprise Portal uses Windows Communication Framework (WCF) and .NET Business Connector
to interact with an Application Object Server (AOS).
The language that is used in the user interface for Enterprise Portal is determined by the user interface
language that is specified for each user in the Microsoft Dynamics AX client. The user interface language
also determines how values are formatted.
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 20
Enterprise Portal architecture
The following diagram provides a high-level overview of the Enterprise Portal architecture.
Microsoft Dynamics AX
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 21
AOS architecture
Introduction to the Application Object Server architecture
An Application Object Server (AOS) is a core component of the Microsoft Dynamics AX installation and is
installed by using Setup. An AOS enforces security, manages connections between clients and the
database, and provides the foundation where business logic for Microsoft Dynamics AX is executed. An
AOS is implemented as a MicrosoftWindows service. By default, an AOS is listed in the Services pane as
Microsoft Dynamics AX Object Server 6.0$InstanceName. As a Windows service, AOS works in the
following ways:
An AOS runs in the security context of either a specific domain account or the NT
Authority/Network Service account, depending on the setup.
The status of an AOS is reported to the Windows event logs. Therefore, administrators can view
errors and warnings that can help them troubleshoot problems.
You can install an AOS on a single computer, together with the database, model store, and other
Microsoft Dynamics AX components. Alternatively, you can install application object servers on multiple
computers and group these computers in a load-balanced cluster. Because Microsoft Dynamics AX
requires Windows-integrated authentication for all servers in the system, you must be running Active
Directory.
Client/AOS communications
Clients communicate with an AOS by using remote procedure calls (RPCs), Windows Communication
Foundation (WCF), or AOS services. In previous releases, other components and third-party programs
could communicate with an AOS by using either .NET Business Connector or Application Integration
Framework (AIF). For this release, we recommend that third-party programs use AOS services to
communicate with AOS.
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The following diagram shows the AOS architecture.
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 23
Workflow system architecture
The workflow infrastructure consists of two components that are hosted on the Application Object Server
(AOS): the X++ workflow runtime and the managed workflow runtime.
The X++ workflow runtime consists of:
Workflow runtime API
A messaging batch job
A message queue
The messaging batch job or the workflow runtime API can invoke the application code, if it is required.
The X++ workflow runtime is compiled into the common intermediate language (CIL) of the .NET
Framework.
The managed workflow runtime consists of the Windows Workflow Foundation and Microsoft
Dynamics AX extensions.
Logically, the workflow infrastructure is an extension of Microsoft Dynamics AX and is transparent to
users. Physically, both the X++ workflow and the managed workflow runtimes are hosted on the AOS. The
workflow infrastructure uses batch processing on the AOS and .NET Interop to integrate both subsystems
and pass messages from one subsystem to another. The X++ code executed in the batch processor is
compiled to .NET CIL. The batch processing runs in the .NET common language runtime (CLR).
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 24
The following diagram provides the high-level architecture of the workflow infrastructure.
Users can use the workflow forms and controls in the Microsoft Dynamics AX client and in Enterprise
Portal to participate in business processes. Programmatically, any components that can invoke X++ code
can use X++ to invoke a workflow or submit a document to a workflow. The following table describes the
workflow steps that occur when a user submits an expense report to the workflow system for approval.
Step Runtime Activity
1 X++ workflow runtime A user submits an expense report by clicking the Submit button on one of the
workflow controls. This causes X++ code to activate a workflow instance by
calling the workflow runtime API. The workflow runtime API posts a message
to the message queue. The messaging batch job reads the message and sends
a workflow activation request to the managed workflow runtime.
Note:
The messaging batch job processes the message queue at one-
minute intervals.
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Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Implementation Planning Guide 25
Step Runtime Activity
2 Managed workflow runtime .NET Interop from X++ receives the message and starts a new workflow
instance via Windows Workflow Foundation. This workflow instance performs
a callback to the X++ workflow runtime API via .NET Interop to X++ CIL and
posts a message that the workflow has started.
After posting the message, the managed workflow runtime saves the idle
workflow instance to the Microsoft Dynamics AX database. Runtime then
removes it from memory. When the managed workflow runtime receives
another message from the X++ workflow runtime for this workflow instance, it
restores the workflow instance to memory and resumes it.
Each workflow instance is unique. If you have two users who submit their
expense reports for approval, two workflow instances are started.
3 X++ workflow runtime The messaging batch job reads the “workflow started” message from the
message queue and invokes the application event handler to process a
“workflow started” event. The batch job then posts an acknowledgement
message that the event was processed.
4 Both This same messaging pattern is repeated as necessary throughout the life
cycle of the workflow instance.
The workflow architecture provides for a reliable and durable messaging system. It makes sure that the
state of the workflow is always synchronized with the state of the application. In case of an unexpected
hardware or software failure, the workflow instance state is returned to its last known save point and the
message stays in the queue. Thus, from an architecture perspective, the recovery model is to fix the
problem and resume the workflow.
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Reporting architecture
The following diagram illustrates the architecture of the reporting functionality in Microsoft Dynamics AX.
To better understand how a report is rendered, review the following steps.
1. A user requests a report.
Assume that a user clicks a menu item in the Microsoft Dynamics AX client. The menu item is bound
to a SQL Server Reporting Services report.
After the user clicks the menu item, a parameters form is displayed to the user. The user enters
parameters to filter the data that will be displayed on the report.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX client then requests the report from Reporting Services. (The request
includes the parameters entered by the user.)
2. Reporting Services receives the request and asks the Microsoft Dynamics AX server for the
report data.
Reporting Services receives the request and examines the report on the server. The report is stored as
an .rdl file. The .rdl file indicates the report’s data source. (The data source could be a Microsoft
Dynamics AX query, a report data provider class, or an external data source via report data methods.)
In cases where a Microsoft Dynamics AX data source is used for the report, Reporting Services will use
the Microsoft Dynamics AX data extension to retrieve the data.
At this point, Reporting Services asks Microsoft Dynamics AX for metadata about the data source.
Reporting Services then requests the data for the report.
3. The Microsoft Dynamics AX server receives the request and sends the report data back to
Reporting Services.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX services examine the query in the AOT to return the requested metadata.
The services also execute the query to generate the data for the report.
Microsoft Dynamics AX returns the metadata and data to Reporting Services.
Microsoft Dynamics AX enforces security on all data returned. If the user who is running the
report is not allowed to see a specific field, the data for that field is not returned.
Note:
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4. Reporting Services renders the report and sends it to the Microsoft Dynamics AX client.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX customization extension formats the report. The customization extension
uses metadata to provide automatic formatting of data and can affect the positioning and layout of
elements in the report.
Reporting Services then renders the report into a visual representation and sends that to the
Microsoft Dynamics AX client.
5. The report is displayed to the user.
The Microsoft Dynamics AX client displays the report to the user in the report viewer control.
Analytics architecture
The following architecture diagram shows the online analytical processing (OLAP) cubes that are provided
with Microsoft Dynamics AX and the components used to access them.
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To better understand this diagram, consider how developers, IT professionals, and users access the cubes.
Developers — Developers use the Visual Studio tools that integrate with Microsoft Dynamics AX
to build SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports that use cubes as a data source. In order for
such reports to be displayed, the SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) data extension retrieves data
from the cube, and then the Microsoft Dynamics AX report definition customization extension
formats the report.
IT professionals — IT professionals are typically responsible for installing the default cubes that
are included with Microsoft Dynamics AX and for processing them on a routine basis.
Users — Users can view the default reports that are included with Microsoft Dynamics AX, or they
can create new, customized reports.
Microsoft Dynamics AX includes hundreds of default, preconfigured reports. Users can access these
reports using the Microsoft Dynamics AX client or Enterprise Portal. In order for the reports to be
displayed, the SQL Server Analysis Services data extension retrieves data from the cube, the Microsoft
Dynamics AX report definition customization extension formats the report, and then the Microsoft
Dynamics AX report viewer control displays the report to the user.
Users can create new, customized reports by using SQL Server Report Builder or Microsoft Excel®.
Each of these applications accesses the cubes directly.
Client architecture
This topic describes the high-level architecture of the Microsoft Dynamics AX Windows client.
The client application is a 32-bit Windows application that provides a rich user interface for the Microsoft
Dynamics AX application. The client is typically used by employees within the organization. You can use
Enterprise Portal for browser-based access by external users or for users who do not require the rich user
interface offered by the Windows client.
Your network must meet the minimum requirements for latency and bandwidth to get proper
performance from the client. Because of the volume of communication that passes between the
client and the server, you may experience diminished response time if your network does not
meet the minimum requirements. For more information about system requirements, download
the system requirements document from the Microsoft Download Center.
Client functionality
The client provides the following functionality:
Rich user interface. The client is a Windows application with a rich user interface consisting of
forms, menus, and controls. The client includes over 3,000 forms built using a combination of
metadata and X++ code. The Microsoft Dynamics AX forms use X++ to process events and
business logic. Forms can host managed WinForms or Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)
controls, and X++ can interoperate with managed (.NET) classes and assemblies.
The MorphX development environment. The development environment is integrated into the
client application. Authorized developers can use the MorphX development environment to
enhance or customize the Microsoft Dynamics AX application.
Note:
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Integration with Microsoft Office. The Microsoft Dynamics AX application integrates with
Microsoft Office. Data in grids can be exported to Microsoft Excel, where that data can be
formatted, manipulated, refreshed, modified, and saved back into Microsoft Dynamics AX. You
can integrate Outlook® with the CRM module to synchronize schedules and tasks bi-directionally.
Unified communications. The client provides integrated unified communications using Microsoft
Office Communicator. Key forms and controls are presence-aware for contacts and employees.
These forms and controls also provide a visual indicator of the availability of contacts. Users can
also use real-time messaging such as instant messaging and outbound voice communication.
Integration with the Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI). TAPI is a
Windows standard interface for integration between telephone systems and Windows-based
software. For example, your application displays information about the caller when you receive a
call. The Microsoft Dynamics AX client supports TAPI.
Reports. The Microsoft Dynamics AX application provides reports based on SQL Server Reporting
Services (SSRS).
Client/server communication
The client communicates with various Microsoft Dynamics AX components as follows:
The client uses the remote procedure call (RPC) protocol to directly communicate with the
Application Object Server (AOS). The client never accesses the database or metadata directly. The
AOS sends the application objects and data to the client.
Form data sources and queries specified in metadata are the basis of the data layer that is used
by the client. In addition, any X++ code that needs to retrieve data can use the built-in language
support for querying and manipulating data.
The client uses a report Web Part to interact with the report server. The report control in the Web
Part calls the Web services exposed by the report server to display information that is contained
in SQL Server Reporting Services reports. These reports can include either transactional data from
the Microsoft Dynamics AX application or OLAP cubes from SQL Server Analysis Services. Cubes
provide business analytics and key performance indicators (KPIs).
The client provides workflow forms, alerts, and controls that users can use to participate in the
business process using the Workflow system, a Microsoft Dynamics AX component to enable
workflow processes using Windows Communication Foundation classes.
The client provides a help viewer application that displays context sensitive help topics that are
retrieved from an on-premise help server.
The client also provides role centers, or role-based home pages, for users. These role centers
provide role-specific tasks, activities, alerts, reports, and business intelligence to users to increase
their productivity. The client uses a browser control to interact with the role centers which are part
of Enterprise Portal and are hosted on IIS.
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The following diagram describes the high-level client architecture.
Services and AIF architecture
This topic describes the high-level architecture of services and the Application Integration Framework
(AIF).
Microsoft Dynamics AX exposes its functionality through Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)-
based services that are hosted on the Application Object Server (AOS). External applications and client
applications on the local area network consume Microsoft Dynamics AX services by directly accessing
them from the AOS. These clients and applications include the Microsoft Dynamics AX client, the Office
add-ins, and Microsoft Dynamics AX components such as the Enterprise Portal. Internet-based external
applications and clients access the Microsoft Dynamics AX services through Internet Information Services
(IIS). IIS routes the incoming Microsoft Dynamics AX service requests to the AOS. Regardless of the origin
of the service request, all the requests are handled by the WCF-runtime that is hosted on the AOS.
The AIF request preprocessor, if configured, can intercept the inbound request messages for custom
preprocessing such as message transforms or value substitutions. The Microsoft Dynamics AX service
invokes the necessary business logic to process the inbound request message. Similarly, the AIF response
postprocessor, if configured, can intercept the outbound response messages for custom post-processing
such as message transforms or value substitutions before returning the response to the client.
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The following diagram describes the services and AIF architecture.
.NET Business Connector architecture
The .NET Business Connector architecture
The .NET Business Connector is a component of the development environment for Microsoft
Dynamics AX. You use the .NET Business Connector to build software applications that can be integrated
with Microsoft Dynamics AX. You can think of the .NET Business Connector as a Microsoft Dynamics AX
client that does not have a user interface. You can use the .NET Business Connector to access the same
X++ code, business logic, and security model that are available to the Microsoft Dynamics AX client. The
.NET Business Connector contains a kernel that is used to interpret and execute code, and provides a run-
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time environment for interacting with elements in the Application Object Tree (AOT). For more
information about the .NET Business Connector, see Developer documentation on MSDN®.
During execution, applications that are created by using the .NET Framework are managed by the
common language runtime (CLR). These applications are called managed applications. The .NET Business
Connector enables these managed applications to interact with instances of an Application Object Server
(AOS) by providing a set of .NET managed classes. These .NET managed classes, in turn, enable access to
X++ classes in Microsoft Dynamics AX.
By default, the .NET Business Connector is installed together with the Application Integration Framework
(AIF). However, the .NET Business Connector can also be installed as a stand-alone component and used
to develop third-party applications that can be integrated with Microsoft Dynamics AX.
For more information about how to integrate other applications with Microsoft Dynamics AX, see
Application integration. For information about how to call .NET methods from X++ code, see Developer
documentation on MSDN.
The following diagram shows the Business Connector architecture.
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Project Server integration architecture
By setting up integration between Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 and Microsoft Project Server, project
managers can create projects in either of the products and synchronize project data between them. This
solution enables you to draw on both the core project management capabilities in Project Server and the
financial management capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics AX.
For more information about setting up integration with Project Server, see the Microsoft Project Server
2010 Integration white paper that is available from the Microsoft Download Center.
Development environment
Depending upon the task, developers can use MorphX or Microsoft Visual Studio for development of
Microsoft Dynamics AX. Use MorphX to work with the data model, the user interface such as forms, and
the application code. Use Visual Studio and Visual Studio Tools for Microsoft Dynamics AX for
development in managed code such as customization of the Enterprise Portal.
The following sections describe the Microsoft Dynamics AX development using MorphX and Visual Studio.
Development with the MorphX IDE
MorphX is an integrated development environment (IDE) that developers use to work with the application
metadata, design Microsoft Dynamics AX forms, and to edit and compile X++ code within a single
interface.
Some of the architectural elements and foundational technologies in Microsoft Dynamics AX that MorphX
relies on are described in the following list:
The Application Object Tree (AOT). The AOT contains definitions of all the model elements that
are used to build Microsoft Dynamics AX, such as classes, tables, forms, and so on. Developers use
the AOT for many tasks, including:
Drag-and-drop development. For example, developers can drag a table on a form to
associate the table as a data source for that form.
Edit properties. Developers use the AOT to set properties of the model elements such as
fields, tables, classes, forms, and so on.
X++ language. X++ is an object-oriented language, with similarities to C#. X++ can also
incorporate SQL data manipulation statements.
Application Object Layers. Layers constitute a hierarchy of levels in the application. Layers
include metadata and code. These enable developers to make modifications and additions
without interfering with the application objects in a lower level. When developers make an object
modification on one level, the modification overshadows the object on a lower level. Developers
could, for example, decide to add email information to a standard form. The addition would be
saved on your level only. The revised form replaces the standard form. However, you can always
return to the original form at the next lower level by removing the new form.
Enterprise Portal development. The resources for Enterprise Portal are stored in the AOT. Some
development tasks are performed directly in the AOT, such as defining data sets, business logic,
security, site structure, and navigation for Enterprise Portal. Developers can use web-based
development tools in Microsoft® SharePoint® 2010 technology for basic customizations. For
advanced customizations, use Enterprise Portal framework and Visual Studio.
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Report development: Developers create and use queries in the AOT to access data for reports.
The AOT stores reports and Visual Studio projects that are created in Visual Studio when
developers define reports.
Analysis cube development: Developers define perspectives and analysis properties using the
AOT. These perspectives are used to generate SQL Server analysis services projects and to deploy
these projects as analysis cubes.
For more information about MorphX, see Microsoft Dynamics AX IDE.
Development with Visual Studio
The Microsoft Dynamics AX development environment, MorphX, and the Visual Studio development
environment are integrated through Visual Studio Tools for Microsoft Dynamics AX. Visual Studio Tools
for Microsoft Dynamics AX is a collection of tools that enable managed code development for Microsoft
Dynamics AX. These tools provide developers with a rapid application development (RAD) experience in
the Visual Studio IDE. The Visual Studio Tools for Microsoft Dynamics AX include:
Managed code support. Developers can write managed code to customize components such as
reporting and the Enterprise Portal. Developers can develop business logic in managed code.
Managed code refers to code that executes under the management of the Common Language
Runtime.
Developers can use type safe proxies to call X++ classes from managed code, bringing the ease of
use of X++ classes on a par with the managed classes. Visual Studio Intellisense works with the
proxies that you add to the Visual Studio project. X++ code can also call managed code. These
capabilities provide a seamless interoperability between X++ and managed code.
Report development. Developers can create reports for Microsoft Dynamics AX using Visual
Studio and Reporting Services. For more information about reporting, see Creating Reports for
Microsoft Dynamics AX in Visual Studio.
Enterprise Portal development. Developers can use web-based development tools in SharePoint
for basic customizations or Enterprise Portal framework and Visual Studio for advanced
customization.
Close integration between MorphX and Visual Studio means that developers can leverage the benefits of
each development tool and work in the environment that best suits their development scenario.
Application integration
The ability to integrate Microsoft Dynamics AX with other systems inside and outside the enterprise is a
common requirement. Application Integration Framework (AIF) enables such integration by enabling the
exchange of data through formatted XML. This formatted XML is referred to as a document, and each
document contains data and business logic. Documents are based on a document class and defined by
using Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Microsoft Dynamics AX ships with over 70 standard documents that support common business processes.
AIF also provides the ability to customize existing documents or create your own documents. For more
information about the standard documents, see topic "Documents that ship with Microsoft Dynamics AX"
in the Microsoft Dynamics AX SDK Help. For developer information about how to create new AIF
documents, see topic "Creating New Documents" in the Microsoft Dynamics AX SDK Help.MS
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How documents are exchanged
AIF provides an extensible framework that supports multiple asynchronous transports, as well as
synchronous transport using Web services, to exchange documents in XML format with external systems.
AIF can be used to either send data into Microsoft Dynamics AX, called an inbound exchange, or retrieve
data during an outbound exchange. An example of an inbound exchange would be an external system
sending a sales order to be saved to the Microsoft Dynamics AX database. An example of an outbound
exchange would be an external system sending a request for a purchase order and receiving the purchase
order back. The inbound and outbound exchanges can be categorized as follows:
Send data - Microsoft Dynamics AX sends documents to an external system.
Send data in response to requests - Microsoft Dynamics AX receives requests for documents
from another authorized system, retrieves the requested information (such as a document or a list
of documents) from the Microsoft Dynamics AX database, and returns it to the requesting system,
with appropriate filtering and security. The request message would contain the entity keys or a
query that specifies the data that the external system is requesting.
Receive and create data - Microsoft Dynamics AX receives documents from another authorized
system and creates new records in the Microsoft Dynamics AX database.
Integrating with applications
This section describes the ways you can integrate Microsoft Dynamics AX with other applications. For a
high-level overview of the Microsoft Dynamics AX system architecture, see System architecture.
You can use the following methods to integrate Microsoft Dynamics AX with other applications:
Services and the Application Integration Framework (AIF). Services are the preferred option
for integration with Microsoft Dynamics AX. Services enable Microsoft Dynamics AX to expose its
functionality through Windows Communication Foundation-based services. Microsoft
Dynamics AX code and external applications can consume Microsoft Dynamics AX services. AIF
supports the processing of inbound and outbound messages such as message transforms and
value lookups. Together, services and AIF provide the programming model, tools, and
infrastructure support for XML-based integration with external applications and data
.NET interop to X++. The .NET interop to X++ feature enables you to call X++ code using C# or
another managed language. A proxy is an automatically generated .NET class, in C# or another
managed language, that mimics an X++ class of Microsoft Dynamics AX.
.NET interop from X++. The .NET interop from X++ (also known as the CLR Interop in the
previous release) provides interoperability with external .NET components and enables you to
execute managed-code components from within X++ code. .NET interop from X++ is useful
when you want your X++ code to access functionality provided by a CLR-managed assembly. This
includes assemblies that are installed with the .NET Framework and any assemblies that you
create with a language such as Visual C#® or Visual Basic®.
Consume external Web services. The Microsoft Dynamics AX programming model lets you
consume external Web services from within X++ code. To consume an external Web service from
X++, you must first create a reference to the Web service. After creating a reference to the Web
service, you can invoke it from X++ and see the available methods with IntelliSense. Calling and
managing external Web services is done completely within Microsoft Dynamics AX.
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The AIF integration components interact with Microsoft Dynamics AX through the Application Object
Server (AOS), as shown in the following diagram.
See Also
Visual Studio Integration
Microsoft Dynamics AX Developer Center
Plan an implementation This section provides information about hardware and software requirements, security, and other
components so that you can plan your implementation.
Implementation methodology
Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step is the prescribed methodology for deploying Microsoft Dynamics AX. The
Sure Step application provides product-specific and general project-based templates, workflows, process
maps and tools to assist the implementation partners. Sure Step is currently available for download from
PartnerSource. (This website requires that you log in.)
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The Sure Step methodology is divided into the following phases:
Phase Tasks during phase
Diagnostic Evaluate a customer's business processes and infrastructure
Assist the customer with their due diligence cycle, including ascertaining requirements and
their fit with the solution, and assessing the resource needs for the solution delivery
Prepare the project plan, proposal, and the Statement of Work
Analysis Analyze current business model and finalize the Functional Requirements document
Finalize the fit-gap analysis
Develop the Environment Specification documentation
Design Develop the Functional Design, Technical Design, and Solution Design documents
Finalize the data migration design
Establish test criteria
Development Finalize configurations and setup of the standard solution
Develop and finalize the custom code that is required to support the solution
Conduct functional and feature testing of the solution
Create the user training documentation
Deployment Set up the production environment
Migrate data to the production environment
Conduct user acceptance test of the system
Train users and finalize the user documentation
Conduct go-live check and promote the system to production
Operation Resolve pending issues
Finalize user documentation and knowledge transfer
Conduct a post-mortem of the project
Provide on-going support (activities that continue through any future involvement with the
customer after the project is closed)
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The Sure Step methodology also provides guidance for the following areas:
Activity area Actions performed
Optimization Leverage Review Offerings to determine proactively if the system is being designed and
delivered optimally to meet the customer’s requirements
Analyze the system to determine how it can be optimized for the best performance based
on customer's needs
Upgrade Assess the customer's current business processes and solution
Document the requirements for new functionality
Upgrade the system to new release—including the addition of new functionality, promotion
of existing customizations that are required, and elimination of custom code no longer
required
Hardware and software requirements
For up-to-date hardware and software requirements for Microsoft Dynamics AX, download the system
requirements document from the Microsoft Download Center.
Planning hardware infrastructure
This topic describes key factors to be taken into account when you plan the hardware infrastructure for
Microsoft Dynamics AX.
Planning Hardware
Decisions about appropriate hardware depend upon a number of factors. The following list provides some
key factors.
1. Evaluate and document the existing infrastructure, including:
Network bandwidth
Storage system in use
Operating system in use
Databases in use
Servers in use
Current processes for disaster recovery, availability, and scalability
Existing applications that need to integrate with Microsoft Dynamics AX
2. Define and document:
Uses of system: Components and modules of Microsoft Dynamics AX you plan to deploy
Number of transactions over a period of time as well as total number of transactions during peak
business hours
Number of active or concurrent users over a period of time as well as total number of active or
concurrent users during peak business hours
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External user access required
Web access required
Required availability
Projected growth rate
Number of sites and number of users connecting through a Wide Area Network (WAN)
Integration requirements: Are there any applications that need to integrate with Microsoft
Dynamics AX and what is the workload generated by these applications? Are these transactions
real-time or can they be batched?
3. With information from Steps 1 and 2, you can start to determine how to structure the system. Key
decisions are:
Whether any Microsoft Dynamics AX server components can be combined on a single computer,
and if they can, which server components to combine.
What is your deployment plan for high availability and scalability for Microsoft Dynamics AX
components?
What is your backup and recovery strategy?
Transactional Volume
The total average number of transactions processed per work hour is a key indicator of the hardware and
software requirements. Use the transactional volume to plan your hardware and software components
such as those listed in the following list:
The database server infrastructure, including type and number of drives
Number of Application Object Server (AOS) clusters
Number of AOS servers within a cluster
Number of batch servers
Network capacity
In Microsoft Dynamics AX, a transaction is defined as processing of a single line item. For example, a sales
order with 100 line items is considered as 100 transactions.
Estimate the number of transactions required for each module you plan to use and any corresponding
transactions that may be triggered by these changes. Determine if there are any integration points to
internal or external applications. For example, a large volume of transactions may be coming in from
Microsoft BizTalk Server. This volume of transactions needs to be factored into your infrastructure and
topology planning.
Determine if these transactions are real-time or if they can be batched and processed at off-peak hours.
Microsoft Dynamics AX is an integrated ERP application and provides real-time updates throughout all
modules as information is changed. However, it also provides a batch system for scheduled processing.
Number of Concurrent Users
The total number of concurrent users is another indicator of the size of the Application Object Server
(AOS) system required for proper response time and throughput. While this is not the only criterion used
to plan the capacity of AOS servers or server clusters, it is an important factor.
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Concurrent users are defined as Microsoft Dynamics AX rich clients, web clients, mobile clients, or third-
party applications that require some processing to take place in the Microsoft Dynamics AX system. Note
that the number of concurrent users also impacts your network bandwidth and latency.
Network Requirements
Determine the number of users accessing Microsoft Dynamics AX with the rich client, web client, or
mobile client. Users accessing Microsoft Dynamics AX using the rich client must meet minimum network
requirements. If those requirements are not met, consider deploying Windows Server Terminal Services.
Planning hardware for additional components
The core components of a Microsoft Dynamics AX implementation consist of a Windows client,
Application Object Server (AOS), and a database server. Additional components include Enterprise Portal,
workflow, reporting, analytics, Help server, and IIS-based web services. Determine the workload generated
for each component and the resource requirements for appropriate deployment with acceptable response
time and throughput.
For example, if you have users who access Microsoft Dynamics AX over a WAN using the Microsoft
Dynamics AX Windows client, you must deploy Terminal Services. Similarly, users who access role-based
home pages will create workload for the Enterprise Portal. Users accessing reports will create workload for
the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services report server, the report server database, and the
Microsoft Dynamics AX database.
Install Microsoft Dynamics AX
The Microsoft Dynamics AX Installation Guide provides step-by-step installation instructions for
deployment of Microsoft Dynamics AX components.
Upgrade
The Upgrade Guide provides the information to upgrade from the previous releases of Microsoft
Dynamics AX.